diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 683a56d3f..095a91134 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -500,10 +500,16 @@ jobs:
           path: updates-server
           token: ${{ secrets.DEPLOY_KEY }}
 
-      - name: Download object files
+      - name: Download signed windows objects
         if: ${{ inputs.update_branch == 'release' }}
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.DEPLOY_KEY }}
         run: |
-          git clone https://github.com/zen-browser/windows-binaries.git .github/workflows/object --depth 1
+          mkdir -p .github/workflows/object
+          gh release download "windows-signed-${{ github.run_id }}" \
+            --repo zen-browser/windows-binaries \
+            --pattern 'windows-x64-signed-*.tar.gz' \
+            --dir .github/workflows/object
 
           for arch in x86_64 arm64; do
             archive=".github/workflows/object/windows-x64-signed-$arch.tar.gz"
@@ -624,6 +630,17 @@ jobs:
             ./.github/workflows/object/windows-x64-signed-arm64/zen.installer-arm64.exe
             ./zen.macos-universal.dmg/*
 
+      - name: Clean up signed windows staging release
+        if: ${{ inputs.update_branch == 'release' }}
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.DEPLOY_KEY }}
+        run: |
+          # The per-run staging prerelease on windows-binaries has served its purpose
+          # now that the signed bundles are published in the real release. Never fail
+          # the release over this cleanup.
+          gh release delete "windows-signed-${{ github.run_id }}" \
+            --repo zen-browser/windows-binaries --cleanup-tag --yes || true
+
   prepare-flatpak:
     if: ${{ inputs.create_release && inputs.update_branch == 'release' }}
     permissions: write-all
diff --git a/build/windows/sign.ps1 b/build/windows/sign.ps1
index d01209fe8..83f2ff040 100644
--- a/build/windows/sign.ps1
+++ b/build/windows/sign.ps1
@@ -202,9 +202,8 @@ function SignAndPackage($name) {
     # Move the manifest
     mv .\dist\update\. windsign-temp\windows-x64-signed-$name\update_manifest
 
-    # note: We need to sign it into a parent folder, called windows-x64-signed-$name
-    rmdir .\windsign-temp\windows-binaries\windows-x64-signed-$name -Recurse -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
-    mv windsign-temp\windows-x64-signed-$name .\windsign-temp\windows-binaries -Force
+    # The signed bundle stays in windsign-temp\windows-x64-signed-$name; it is
+    # compressed and uploaded to the staging release once every .exe is signed.
     rmdir engine\obj-$objName-pc-windows-msvc\ -Recurse -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
 
     echo "Finished $name"
@@ -213,32 +212,42 @@ function SignAndPackage($name) {
 SignAndPackage arm64
 SignAndPackage x86_64
 
-$files = Get-ChildItem .\windsign-temp\windows-binaries -Recurse -Include *.exe
+$files = Get-ChildItem .\windsign-temp\windows-x64-signed-x86_64, .\windsign-temp\windows-x64-signed-arm64 -Recurse -Include *.exe
 signtool.exe sign /n "$SignIdentity" /t http://time.certum.pl/ /fd sha256 /v $files
 
-# Compress each signed bundle into a gzip tarball and drop the raw folder, so the
-# windows-binaries repo only ever stores the compressed archive. The tar is
-# created with `-C <dir> .` so it has no top-level directory and expands straight
-# into windows-x64-signed-$name/ in the release workflow.
+# Compress each signed bundle into a single gzip tarball (`-C <dir> .` so it has
+# no top-level directory) and upload it as a release asset on the windows-binaries
+# repo, keyed to this build's run id. Release assets keep the bundles out of git
+# (they were too large to commit) while still living in the windows-binaries repo.
+# The gated release job downloads and expands these from that repo's releases.
+$binariesRepo = "zen-browser/windows-binaries"
+$stagingTag = "windows-signed-$GithubRunId"
+echo "Ensuring staging release $stagingTag exists on $binariesRepo"
+gh release view $stagingTag --repo $binariesRepo *> $null
+if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
+    gh release create $stagingTag --repo $binariesRepo --prerelease --title "Windows signed bundles ($GithubRunId)" --notes "Signed Windows bundles for run $GithubRunId, consumed by the release workflow. Safe to delete."
+    if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
+        throw "Failed to create staging release $stagingTag on $binariesRepo"
+    }
+}
+
 foreach ($name in @("x86_64", "arm64")) {
-    $signedDir = ".\windsign-temp\windows-binaries\windows-x64-signed-$name"
-    $archive = ".\windsign-temp\windows-binaries\windows-x64-signed-$name.tar.gz"
+    $signedDir = ".\windsign-temp\windows-x64-signed-$name"
+    $archive = ".\windsign-temp\windows-x64-signed-$name.tar.gz"
     echo "Creating compressed tar for $name"
     Remove-Item $archive -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
     tar -czvf $archive -C $signedDir .
     if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
         throw "Failed to create tar archive for $name"
     }
-    rmdir $signedDir -Recurse -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
+    echo "Uploading $archive to $binariesRepo release $stagingTag"
+    gh release upload $stagingTag $archive --repo $binariesRepo --clobber
+    if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
+        throw "Failed to upload $archive to release $stagingTag"
+    }
 }
 
-echo "All artifacts signed and packaged, ready for release!"
-echo "Commiting the changes to the repository"
-cd windsign-temp\windows-binaries
-git add .
-git commit -m "Sign and package windows artifacts"
-git push
-cd ..\..
+echo "All artifacts signed, packaged, and uploaded to $binariesRepo release $stagingTag!"
 
 # Cleaning up